The present invention relates to inflatable containers and, more particularly, to self-inflating and self-sealing containers that do not require a mechanized apparatus to effect inflation and sealing of such containers.
Inflated containers are commonly used as cushions to package items, either by wrapping the items in the cushions and placing the wrapped items in a shipping carton, or by simply placing one or more inflated containers inside of a shipping carton along with an item to be shipped. The cushions protect the packaged item by absorbing impacts that may otherwise be fully transmitted to the packaged item during transit, and also restrict movement of the packaged item within the carton to further reduce the likelihood of damage to the item.
A wide variety of machines for forming inflated containers are available. Such machines generally inflate and seal the containers at the packaging site, starting with a web of flexible material, e.g., thermoplastic film. The web is segregated into individual containers, either before or during the inflation process, i.e., the individual containers are formed in the web prior to delivery to the packaging site or by the machine at the packaging site as part of the inflation and sealing process. The machine inflates each container with air or other fluid, and then seals the fluid within the containers.
Like all machinery, such ‘inflate-and-seal’ machines entail a capital expense and require frequent maintenance to keep the machine operating properly. While these drawbacks may be acceptable for large-scale packaging operations, they can be highly disadvantageous in small-scale packaging environments such as, e.g., small businesses or homes.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an inflatable container that can produce inflated packaging cushions without the need for an inflate-and-seal machine.